All News

May 04, 2004

'Round The World Gyro Expedition Underway

Expedition Global Eagle came about from an idea Barry Jones had
back in 2002: It was nothing less than to become the first person
to fly around the world in an autogyro, the final class of powered
aircraft yet to achieve the feat. He approached his Commanding
Officer at 9 Regiment Army Air Corps and asked permission to set up
the expedition. Permission was granted for him to look into the
possibilities of such a trip, which he set about doing.
Here's the first in a series of articles from Barry's newsletter,
describing the launch and success to date of the Global Eagle.

And You'll Never Guess...

The 354th Fighter Squadron, based at Arizona's Davis-Monthan
AFB, has a new commander: Lt. Col. Martha McSally.
If that name rings familiar, you might remember that the 38-year
old McSally sued the Pentagon three years ago because, while in
Saudi Arabia, the military made her wear Muslim religious garb --
called abayas -- so as not to offend the locals.

Challenges Remain

"We have made significant progress across the board in all the
items that we think are required for return to flight."
Those words come from Wayne Hale, NASA's deputy director for the
space shuttle program. He says, after the February 1, 2003,
Columbia disaster, the space agency is steadily approaching the day
when the shuttles will fly again.

Bankrupt Airline's CEO Says Taxpayers Risk Nothing

We want it. We need it. We're entitled to it.
That's the line from United Airlines CEO Glenn Tilton these days,
as he angrily defends his bankrupt airline and demands that the
government grant it $1.6 billion in loan guarantees.

Simulating SAM Attack On Commercial Aircraft

Across the US, airports and airlines are staging exercises that
are supposed to improve their ability to defend against a
shoulder-launched missile attack on commercial aircraft. There's no
fresh intelligence suggesting such an attack is on the way,
according to the TSA. But it is an election year, and the
Department of Homeland Security says it could certainly happen.

Recognizing that hangars are scarce and hangar fees are steadily
escalating, especially in large metropolitan areas, ARM Aerospace
of Tucson (AZ) has come up with an innovative solution that doubles
the storage capacity of any existing hangar. They have
created The Aero-Lift a cantilevered lift that makes it possible to
store two airplanes in almost any hangar by lifting one aircraft
into the air and using the empty space underneath to store an
additional aircraft (or a car or a boat). Already adopted by a
number of FBOs, general aviation and sport aviation pilots and
aeroclubs, the lift Aero-Lift has met with an enthusiastic response
in the United States and overseas.

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Airline Looking For New Investor

Air Canada, mired in gallons of red ink, has gotten a tentative
okie-dokie from its largest union to start looking for a new
investor -- one who can pump a much-needed $250 million into the
cash-strapped airline.

Turnaround Deemed Success

By ANN Editor Pete Combs
About 15 years ago, when I was a nervous junior birdman vying
for his IFR ticket, I flew from Addison Airport in Dallas (TX) to
Redbird Airport on the south side of town. I made every single
mistake I could possibly make, until the grizzled old flight
examiner sitting in the right seat said, "Either you're too lost or
I'm too scared. Let's turn this thing around."
My memories of what is now Dallas Executive Airport weren't
terribly fond -- not that the airport was at fault. Still, it was a
little... well, seedy.
Not any more.

And, Oh, My! That Paint Job Is New, Too!

Hosts Meeting For ASN Volunteers In California

AOPA Airport Support Network volunteers are a vital part of the
association's efforts to protect airports, so this past weekend,
AOPA representatives went to central California for a meeting with
several of the volunteers.

Jacksonville's Airport Deals With Cats Gone Wild

"Oh my God, what the hell is this?"
That was reportedly Mike McNamee's reaction after opening the door
to his office at Jacksonville International Airport not long ago.
The food services manager had discovered that his office had been
vandalized over the previous weekend. There was a huge hole in the
ceiling. Papers were scattered all over the office. And, ewww, that
smell!

And We Certainly Mean No Disrespect!

It was a labor of love, and it is finally completed. Under
the auspices of the Base Borden Military Museum and with technical
support from 16 Wing Borden, a small group of dedicated volunteers
have contributed more than 4,000 hours to the restoration of one of
the most significant aircraft in the history of Canadian military
aviation: the Avro CF-100 Canuck.

"We have made significant progress across the board in all the
items that we think are required for return to flight."
Source: Wayne Hale, NASA's deputy director for the
space shuttle program, who says, after the February 1, 2003,
Columbia disaster, the space agency is steadily approaching the day
when the shuttles will fly again.

AD NUMBER: 2004-08-17
MANUFACTURER: Cessna (CORRECTION)
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-08-17
SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness
directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company(Cessna) Models
208 and 208B airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect any upper
and lower wing strut attach fitting nut for existence of the
corresponding cotter pin and do any necessary corrective action.
This AD is the result of a report of one airplane having loose and
improperly tied nuts on the wing struts upper attachment bolts. We
are issuing this AD to detect and correct loose and improperly tied
nuts on the wing struts, which could result in an attachment nut
coming off the bolt. This could lead to the failure of

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AD NUMBER: 2004-07-22
MANUFACTURER: Boeing (CORRECTION)
SUBJECT: Airworthiness Directive 2004-07-22
SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes two existing
airworthiness directives (ADs), applicable to all Boeing Model 747
series airplanes, that currently require that the FAA-approved
maintenance inspection program be revised to include inspections
that will give no less than the required damage tolerance rating
for each structural significant item, and repair of cracked
structure. Those ADs were prompted by a structural re-evaluation
that identified additional structural elements where, if damage
were to occur, supplemental inspections may be required for timely
detection of fatigue cracking. This amendment requires additiona